Broadband amplifier system having improved linearity and minimum loss

Abstract

An RF wideband amplifier system is provided that includes an M way splitter for receiving an RF input signal and splitting same into M RF signals for respective application to M power amplifier modules PAM-1 to PAM-M that amplify the M signals and apply the amplified M signals to an M way combiner that applies an amplified RF signal to a load. A main controller provides an automatic level control reference signal, representative of the desired output power level of each of the power amplifier modules. Each power amplifier module includes an 2*N way balanced splitter that receives one of the M RF signals and splits the signal into 2*N signal portions; 2*N RF amplifiers that respectively receive the 2*N signal portions and amplify same and provide therefrom 2*N amplified signal portions; an 2*N way RF combiner that receives and combines the amplified RF signal portions and provides therefrom a combined amplified output RF signal; a power detector that provides a power signal representative of the level of the output power of the power amplifier module; a difference circuit that provides an attenuation control signal having a value in accordance with the difference in values of the power signal and the reference signal; and, a variable adjuster that adjusts the magnitude of the one of the M RF signals in accordance with the difference.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.